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Halloween
2007.10.27. 21:39
Halloween
History
Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain which occurred on October 31. This celebration goes back more than 2000 years. It marked the beginning of the cold and barren part of the year and was associated with death and the spirits of the dead. The dead were believed to walk the earth on this night so bonfires were lit and animal skins donned for protection. The Catholic church later co-opted this religious event and renamed it All Hallows Eve since it was on the the eve of Allhallows Day (All Saints' Day).
Popularity
The holiday of Halloween is second only to Christmas in popularity in the United States and in money spent on decorations. The reasons for this are varied, one being is that it is fun for adults to act out fantasies that are normally not part of the adult landscape. For children, it is an opportunity to experience the idea of the supernatural in an enjoyable and safe way. Popular activities and events associated with Halloween include trick-or-treating, Halloween festivals, and Halloween costume parties. While trick-or-treating is primarily an activity for children, the latter two are for both children and adults alike.
Traditions and customs
Halloween traditions and customs are derived from the history, folklore, practices, symbols, and events associated with Halloween. Here follows the major ones of this holiday.
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating is the most widely recognized Halloween tradition. It is an activity in which children go from house to house asking for treats such as candy with the question, "Trick or treat?" Trick-or-treating is done with children donning Halloween costumes and it is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially required that if one lives in a neighborhood with children to purchase candy in preparation for trick-or-treaters. Trick-or-treating declined in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the tainted candy scare. Hospitals even got involved offering free x-ray scans of Halloween candy. This turned out to largely be an urban legend and trick-or-treating is making somewhat of a comeback.
Creatures traditionally associated with Halloween
Creatures that are traditionally associated with Halloween fall into three categories, although not necessarily into just one of them. There are the mythical creatures from folklore that have come to be connected with the holiday. Then there are creatures from fiction that are now thought of in relation to Halloween. Finally there are actual creatures that are related to Halloween, although often their relation is established through folklore.
Halloween festival
A Halloween festival (sometimes called a Halloween carnival) is an annual event that has a variety of activities, all with a Halloween theme.
Halloween festivals are a Halloween tradition in many communities. These events are usually put on by the communities themselves, service groups, churches, or schools to celebrate Halloween. The festivals are usually held in the latter part of October, shortly before Halloween. They often involve people dressing in costume, typically with a supernatural or horror theme. The people who are working at the event are the ones most likely to be in costume. The festivals consist of attractions such as haunted houses and haunted trails. There are also games of chance and skill such as cake walks, bobbing for apples, target games, and similar activities.
Halloween festivals began to appear as celebrations in the early part of the 20th century. These festivals had continued to mushroom in popularity until the 1980s, which saw the rise of the political power of conservative evangelicals. Some conservative evangelicals attacked the celebration of Halloween as being satanic. This caused a lot of public schools to drop Halloween festivals, although many private schools, including church schools affiliated with the Mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, have continued to host these events. With Halloween itself growing in popularity, Halloween festivals remain a popular event for many.
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AJÁNLOM AZ OLDALT
